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When The Forecast Says Hot And Hotter

Summertime is here and not only do we feel the heat, our cars do too! The sun coming in through the windows can heat our cars’ interior to 200 degrees! Cracking the windows does not prevent the temperature from rising in the car. Parking in the shade is helpful as long as you remember to remove the bird droppings and tree sap which damages the paint. You can also try parking so the sun comes in the rear window as well. This will keep the heat off your steering wheel and dashboard and prevent them from cracking and fading.

Hoses, drive belts and plastic parts on vehicles absorb heat, making them vulnerable to brittleness, cracks, fraying and bulges. Tires pressures rise and wipers become brittle and heat damaged. Leather seats need to be kept clean to prevent wear and tear during the summer. Use good leather cleaner to keep them clean and supple.

Your car’s cooling system really gets a tough workout in the heat trying to help your car’s engine keep its cool. We check the mixture to make sure it is fifty percent distilled water and fifty percent coolant. This fluid needs to be exchanged for new every year.

Hot weather is very hard on batteries. The fluid will evaporate, damaging the internal structure. The voltage regulator then malfunctions and this destroys the battery. Dirt can also become a conductor, draining the battery power. The terminals are also susceptible to corrosion which inhibits current flow.

UV radiation plays havoc with the car’s exterior finish so wash it weekly and wax it well every six months.

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